A high-integrity debugging framework for AI agents that enforces a root-cause-first approach to eliminate symptom-only fixes.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install gstack-openclaw-investigate
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install gstack-openclaw-investigate using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Systematic Debugging & Root Cause Investigation?
This skill implements a rigorous four-phase debugging protocol designed to prevent the common pitfall of fixing symptoms rather than underlying issues. By adhering to the Iron Law—no fixes without a proven root cause—it ensures that AI agents provide long-term stability rather than temporary patches that make future bugs harder to find. It is a vital addition to the Openclaw Skills library for any developer focused on maintainable code.
Integrated into the broader Openclaw Skills ecosystem, this skill leverages git history, pattern analysis, and empirical hypothesis testing to systematically dismantle complex software errors. It transforms the debugging process from a series of guesses into a repeatable, scientific workflow that results in documented, verifiable solutions.
Systematic Debugging & Root Cause Investigation Use Cases
- Identifying the source of intermittent race conditions or complex state corruption.
- Analyzing regression bugs by automatically tracing git history and identifying recent breaking changes.
- Systematic investigation of stack traces and unexpected application behavior in production-like environments.
- Preventing architectural decay by identifying and documenting recurring bugs in specific high-risk code areas.
How Systematic Debugging & Root Cause Investigation Works
- Root Cause Investigation: Collect symptoms and trace the code path from the failure point back to the source using git logs and code analysis.
- Pattern Analysis: Categorize the bug into known types such as null propagation, integration failures, or configuration drift.
- Hypothesis Testing: Formulate a testable claim and verify it using temporary logs or assertions before modifying any production code.
- Implementation: Apply the smallest possible fix that addresses the root cause and verify it with a mandatory regression test.
- Verification & Reporting: Generate a structured debug report and archive it in the memory directory for future reference within Openclaw Skills sessions.
Systematic Debugging & Root Cause Investigation Setup
To integrate this skill into your agent's workflow, ensure the skill definition is accessible in your project's configuration directory.
# Example of adding the skill to your local environment
mkdir -p .openclaw/skills
cp gstack-openclaw-investigate.md .openclaw/skills/
Once installed, the agent will proactively trigger these phases when tasked with debugging or error resolution.
Systematic Debugging & Root Cause Investigation Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill produces a structured Debug Report saved to the project's memory system to ensure context persistence.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Symptom | Clear description of the error or unexpected behavior observed by the user. |
| Root Cause | The specific, validated reason why the failure occurred. |
| Fix | File references and the minimal diff applied to resolve the issue. |
| Evidence | Test output or reproduction logs showing the fix works. |
| Storage Path | Reports are saved to memory/YYYY-MM-DD-debug-report.md. |
Systematic Debugging & Root Cause Investigation Advanced Features
- 3-Strike Hypothesis Rule: Automatically stops and triggers an architectural review if three consecutive hypotheses fail to explain the bug.
- Git Regression Tracking: Utilizes specific git commands to analyze the last 20 commits for relevant file changes.
- Sanitized External Search: Built-in protocols to search for error categories online while stripping sensitive data like IPs, hostnames, and customer information.
- Blast Radius Protection: Flags any fix that touches more than 5 files, requiring human confirmation before proceeding with broad changes.
SKILL.md
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